Automatic drilling and countersinking machine



July 11, 1939 Lf r. WHITE 2,155,774 AUTOMATIC DRILLING AND poummsmxme momma. I

Filed 001;. 3, 1936 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 as is 5: :26: A v I: I

IN VENTOR.

' BY 0620/! TM/Ze ATTORNEY,

July 11, 1939, T. WHITE ,7

AUTOMATIC DRILLING AND COUNTERSINKING MACHINE F il ed Oct. -35, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VENTOR.

July .11, 1939. L. T. WHITE 2,155,774

AUTOMATIC DRILLING AND COUNTERSINKING MACHINE Filed Oct-. 5, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 .97 /5 man ATTO EY6 July ll, 1939. L, 1". WHITE 2,155,774

AUTOMATIC DRILLING AND couuwnsmxme means Filed Oct. 3 5- Sheets- Shea? 4 ATTO s July 11, 1939. T, wHlTE 2,165,774

AUTOMATIC DRILLING AND COUNTERSINKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 3, 1936 5 ShGtS-ShSQt 5 llr 47 402 5.20 I ll 52/ 1. v. 68 4/7 205M l B s Q 24 I V Sllllyl I 40/ o I 400 Q 1 70 V 502 HH II I I 1N VENT OR.

ATTORN 5 Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC DRILLING AND COUNTER- SINKING MACHINE Leon T. White, Painesville, Ohio, assignor to The Economy Engineering Company,

Wil-

17 Claims.

The invention forming the subject matter herein comprises an automatic drilling machine of the turret type, wherein all operations are carried on without interruption of the rotation of the turret. The machine herein shown and described as an illustrative embodiment of the invention is for the purpose of drilling and countersinking holes in bolts or rods, and some of the features of the invention are specifically adapted to this use. Others are of general application.

The invention also aims to provide a machine f the kind disclosed, and attachments, elements, 1nd movements of the various sorts which are inluded, all adapted to permit operation on a variety of sizes and sorts of Work, to permit all necessary adjustments, insofar as possible without stopping the machine, to reduce weight of .noving parts, to maintain moving parts, so far is possible in motion without change of rate, and thereby avoid waste of power in overcoming inertia either of motion or of rest, to provide for the picking up of intermittently moving work,

elements, or sub-organizations, and also for their stopping, with a minimum of jolting, roughness, or wear, and to get such parts from rest into motion at the speed of the part with which they temporarily move in the minimum distance possible and again to reduce them from motion at such speed to a condition of rest in the minimum distance possible consistent with smoothness of operation, to return such elements to their original positions without interference with parts which are in constant motion, to provide for the necessary passage of parts past one another with a minimum of unprofitable motion and with a minimum of interference with cycle of operations, so far as possible bringing such essentially unprofitable motions into a useful relationship.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an assembly View of my machine generally on a central vertical plane, but with certain parts in elevation and certain parts on vertical sections out of the general plane;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section substantially on the plane 2--2, Fig. l, but with certain elements in plan;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section substantially on the plane 33,' Fig. 1, but with certain elements in plan, chiefly showing the driving mechanism; 5

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section substantially on the plane 4-4, Fig. 1, showing in detail parts of the work feeding and gripping mechanism;

Fig. 5 is partly a plan View and partly a horizontal section, all taken on the broken plane 5--5,

Fig. 8 is a development of the spindle-position- 0 ing cam;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the plane Q--9, Fig. 5 but with some elements in elevation;

. Fig. 10 is an elevation taken substantially as indicated by the plane Ill-40, Fig. 5, the direc tion of view being opposite to that of Fig. 1 and of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a detail of the countersink adjusting means, being a vertical section on the plane ll-ll of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a plan view on the plane l2-l2 of Fig. 11, with parts in section;

Fig. l3 is an enlarged vertical section on the plane l3-l3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 14 is a vertical section on the plane i l-44 of Fig. 6; 1

Fig. l5 is an enlarged vertical section on the plane l5-l5 ofFig. 8; and

Fig. 16 is a detail of the feed mechanism, partly in plan View and partly in oblique section, as indicated by the plane Iii-l6 of Fig. 10.

Before going to a detailed description, the organization and operation of the machine will be briefly outlined, reference being had particularly to Figs. 1, 5 and 10. A supply of work pieces, in this instance bolts B, is constantly fed down a chute C from a hopper, not shown. The hopper includes conventional arrangements for setting the work pieces all in one direction, in this instance placing all the bolts head up in the chute. A picker mechanism generally designated as P takes the bolts from the end of the chute C and transfers them to jaws J which are part of the general turret organization. The turret mechanism including the jaws is in constantly rotation in the direction of the arrow I, and during the movement of any bolt B from its initial position through a progress of about 300, 2. hole is drilled transversely through the shank by a drill D, which then retracts itself, leaving the bolt still clamped in the jaw. Slightly beyond 300, a countersink attachment K, best seen in Fig. 9, is attached to the turret organization for a short oscillation, during which the top and bottom of the bolt hole is countersunk by drills S. The countersinking completed, the jaw J opens at about 350, dropping the bolt to a delivery chute, not shown, the countersink attachment K is re leased from its connection with the turret and returns to its starting point by the action of a spring G connected to K by a chain H. The base E of the entire machine includes a high side wall L which prevents splashing and waste of cooling and cutting liquids. The entire mechanism, in its preferred embodiments, includes two distinct drive systems, one powered by the motor M" in the base, which motor drives all of the mechanism hitherto described with the exception of the drills D, and a separate motor M supported in an elevated position on a standard, and driving the drills D.

General organization The base E includes a number of webs such as ll, [2, l3, M and I5 which support and house the principal drive system in the lower part of the organization, and which support a columnar structure rising from the base. The backbone of the columnar structure is a hollow stationary center column 20 upon which the entire turret system rotates. The center column is rigidly secured in the base E between a shoulder 2| and a spanner nut 22, thus clamping the shaft firmly in a hub 23 of the web I I, to which hub the column 20 is keyed at 24 against rotation. The hub 23 is further integrated to the base by other web elements such as are shown in horizontal section in Fig. 3. This shaft 20 rotatably supports the movable elements hereafter briefly described which collectively constitute the turret system.

A lower inner sleeve 30 has bearings 3|, 3| on the shaft and carries a worm gear 32 and an outer sleeve 33. The worm gear 32 is keyed to both sleeves as at 35 and held from below by a spanner nut 36 threaded to the bottom of 39.

A gripping jaw system which is generally designated as 40, Fig. 1, and shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 9, is secured by bolts 4| between an outward flange 42 at the top of sleeve 30 and an outward flange 43 at the bottom of an upper sleeve M. This sleeve 44 also includes an intermediate flange 45 and an upper flange 46. The sleeve M bears as at 41 and 48 upon the column 20.

Immediately above the sleeve 44, and bolted to the flange 46, is the spindle housing 50. This housing bears upon the column 20 by the sleeve bearing 47 and the upper bearing 52. The connection to the upper bearing is by a sleeve 53 having a top flange 54 which is bolted to the housing and forms part of the top of the housing.

Within the spindle housing 50 are a plurality of spindles which are described in detail hereafter under the caption Drill system. The shaft of each spindle extends above the housing 50 and carries at its top a triple V-groove drive pulley 55 to which power is transmitted from the motor M by a belting arrangement which is also described in the Drill system section of this specification. The top of the column 20 carries a stationary double bracket consisting of two halfsleeves 56 and 51 clamped by bolts upon the column 20 above the spindle housing. The bracket 58 on one side holds the motor M and is adjustable on a vertical hinge 58A by a threaded stud 58B for belt tightening, and the bracket 52 on the other side includes an additional extension arm 60 supporting an idler pulley which can be set along a groove M5, also for belt tightening.

The jaw system J, best seen in Fig. 4, includes a cam ring 15 keyed as at 16 to the center column 20. The movable part of the jaw system, generally indicated at 40, Fig. 1, rotates about, and is actuated by this cam ring 75, as described in detail under the heading, Jaw system.

The oscillating countersink attachment K, best seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 9, is movably supported upon the sleeves 30, 33 and 46 of the turret system by lower and upper bands 65 and 56 which are connected to brackets 6i and 60, integral with the housing of the attachment K. In detail, the lower band 65 is placed above the outer sleeve 33 and below a ring bolted to the lower side of the flange 42. The upper band 66 is carried between the flanges 43 and 45 of sleeve 36. A protective skirt H extends out and down from the bottom of the band 65 and a housing '52 at the top of the same band protects the ring E0.

The entire moving assembly above described is supported by a flange 33A at the top of the outer sleeve 33 by a ball bearing 3? resting upon a hub 38 integral with the web I3 and connected to the hub 23 by an expanded housing wall 29 around the worm wheel 32, all integral with or rigidly secured to the supporting webs and base for the entire turret system.

Drive system For the description of this system reference is made particularly to Figs. 1 and 3. The motor M, housed in the base E beneath the web It, is suitably connected, as for example by a pinion silent chain 8|, and gear wheel 82, to the main drive shaft 83. This shaft transmits power by suitable gears to a worm 85, driving the turret system by the worm wheel 32; to flexible shafts 86 and 81 which drive the pick-up and countersinking mechanism respectively; and to a camshaft 88. The gear mechanism is carried and housed in parts of the base E generally defined by webs or walls such as l2, l4 and I5.

In general, the gearing is such as to drive the sleeves 30, 44 and spindle housing 58, that is the entire turret system, clockwise as indicated by the various arrows I in several figures. The worm 85, the flexible shaft 86, and the camshaft 33 take their power through a change speed gear box generally designated as 39 and which in itself is of conventional character. The flexible shaft 81 takes power from the main drive shaft 83 through a different gear train. Thus, the worm 85 and the shafts 80 and 88 are always driven at speed ratios which are constant among themselves, but which are controlled by the setting of the gear box 90. On the other hand, the countersink shaft 81 is driven at a speed which is not variable by the gear box 89, but is directly related to the motor speed.

To follow the two gear trains through their principal elements, the shaft 87 is driven from a miter gear 90 on main shaft 83 by a train of four pinions, the first of which bears reference character SI and the last of which is fast to the shaft 81, all as illustrated in Fig. 3.

, Power is transmitted from the pinion 95 on the main shaft 83 to gear 91 on the gear box countershaft, and from the gear 98 on the gear box variable speed shaft to a gear 99 on the shaft of the worm 85. A pinion I on the other end of the shaft of the worm 85 drives a gear IOI which actuates a horizontal shaft carrying a miter gear I02 driving the shaft 86. The pinion I00 also drives (through intermediate gearing) another spur gear I fast to the horizontal camshaft 88, Fig. l. The shaft 86 also carries a spur gear IIO which, through an idler shown but not numbered in Fig. 3, drives spur gear III fast to the lower end of a vertical shaft II2, the upper end of which carries a cam II3, Figs. 1 and 2, partly controlling and causing the swing of the countersink attachment K, as described hereafter in the section Feed and countersink system.

Returning to the horizontal camshaft 88, Fig. 1, this shaft carries rigidly a. disc cam I20 and a cylinder cam Hi. The disc cam actuates parts of the feed mechanism by means of a lever I22 as described in detail in the section Feed and countersink system. The cylinder cam I2I operates a bell-crank lever I25 which in turn raises and lowers a lift rod I26, passing up through the interior of the column 20 and actuating a spindle-raising apparatus which is hereafter treated in detail in the section Drill system.

Since the shaft 81 operates the mechanism of the countersink drills 5, Fig. 9, and nothing else, it will be apparent that a constant speed of these drills is maintained, irrespective of the speed of revolution of the turret system. A constant speed of the main drills D isalso maintained irrespective of the speed of revolution of the turret by a belt drive from the motor M It will be understood that the speedsof countersink drills and main drills can be controlled if necessary, as required by the character of the material operated upon, by governing the speeds of the motors M and M N0 arrangements for this are shown, since it can be accomplished by standard means.

The main drills D are driven by belts I4l from the separate motor M Fig. l, as described above at the end of the section General organization.

Inasmuch as the entire spindle system is in constant rotation about the center column 20, it will be apparent from Fig. '7 that the pulley in the position 55A is out of contact with the belts HM and that the pulleys 55B are not completely in contact with that belt. These are the pulleys on the three spindles which are out of operation because they have been lifted as at D, Fig. 1, to pass over the countersink attachment K. However, it would be disadvantageous to allow the drills on these pulleys to slow down, for the reason that there would be a waste of power in picking them up to speed again. In order to avoid such slowing down, the central belt I43 is provided which takes in the middle grooves of the pulleys 55, but does not engage the motor pulley I42. This belt I43 is related to the system of pulleys 55 in a sense just opposite to belts I4I. Thus the belt I43, as best shown in Fig. 7, takes power from spindle pulleys in the positions 55C and 55D and transmits it to those in positions 5513 and 55A. The belt I43 is kept tight by the idler SI, which can be clamped anywhere in the radial slot I45.

Feed and countersink system The feed and countersink system is mounted on and in the organization K, generally termed the countersink attachment. This countersink attachment, as previously mentioned, swings with the turret through an angular distance which in the present machine is about 30, then is released and returns to the starting position, as will be explained in further detail below. During the forward swing (from full to dotted lines, Fig. 2) the ends of the hole which has been drilled in the bolt are countersunk, the bolt is discharged from the gripping jaws J, and simultaneouslya new bolt is taken from the chute C by the picker attachment R and so positioned as to be gripped by that pair of jaws J which was unloaded on the previous swing. All this accomplished,-the countersink attachment is released from its connection with the turret and swings back quickly to its starting point.

Relating the foregoing general description to Fig. 4, the countersink attachment K is here shown in the starting position of its swing, corresponding to the solid position of Fig. 2. The hole in the bolt BIO is beginning to be counter sunk by the drills S, Fig. 9, while the pair of jaws next in advance, which pair dropped a countersunk bolt an instant previously when K was in the dotted line position, K, Fig. 2, is about to close upon a new bolt B.

The bolts B, as mentioned, are placed by conventional hopper mechanism not shown head up in the slot of the feed chute C, as shown inFigs. 2 and 10. At the bottom of the chute C there is a cross slide 20I reciprocated in appropriate guides by means of the upper end I22A of a bellcrank lever I22 pivoted at I22B in depending arms I22C, supported from a plate I22D carried on the base web I4. The lower end I22 carries a roller, shown in Fig. 1, as riding on cam I20. A linkage 202, Fig. 2, connects i22A to the slide 20I. The cross slide 20I has on its forward end extension fingers 205 and 255 notched to take the lowermost of the bolts B from the chute, when the slide 20I is in its retracted position, bringing the aligned notches 26?, 253 into registry with the end of the chute. The fingers 205 and 206 are carried removably and ad justably in a slot 2I0 in the forward end of the slide, and can thus be varied for different sorts of work. By reference to Fig. it will be seen that the fingers 205, 205 operate in a plane inclined somewhat forward from the vertical, so that gravity holds the bolt B in the notches 20?, 208, and the head of the bolt prevents it from sliding down and out. During the outward travel of the slide 20I, a picker finger 2I5, Figs. 10 and 16, which is part of the mechanism P carried on the forward side of the housing of K, takes hold of the'bolt B, and the mechanism P then moves from the dotted to the solid line position of Fig. 10 and there inserts the bolt in one of the jaws J.

As previously mentioned, the picker mechanism P is attached to the side of the countersink mechanism K, and it is so timed as to move from the dotted to the solid line position of Fig. 10 during the movement of the countersink mechanism from the solid position K to the dotted line position K of Fig. 2. The outward movement of the slide 20I synchronizes with the swing of the countersink attachment K and with the initial attachment of the picker finger 2 I5 to the bolt B. Reference to Fig. 2 shows that the travel of K is much greater than that of the slide 20I. Thus, shortly after the picker finger grips the bolt, the bolt is carried clear of the guide fingers 205, 206, and the slide 20I is retracted by the operation of cam I20. The flexible mounting of the picker finger permits the bolt to clear the shallow notches 201, 208, as will be apparent from the description of the finger.

Referring to Figs. 10 and 16, the preferred form of picker finger mechanism generally designated as MS comprises a gooseneck arm 209 keyed on a rod 22l, and having a bolt 209A threaded therein. Above the arm 209 there is pivoted on the rod a middle bar 2H with an offset integral rear extension 2IIA. The bolt 209A passes through a larger transverse bore in 2IIA and carries an outside compression spring 209B normally holding the parts in the relative positions of Fig. 16, but obviously allowing counterclockwise yield. Side bars 2 l2 are yieldably held against the sides of 2 by compression springs such as 2l2A on bolts 2l2B. The ends of the bars 2 I l and 2 l2 are notched, as shown, for better engagement with the bolt B. Suitable adjusting means, not shown, permit the picker finger mechanism to be placed where desired upon the rod 22! according to the length of bolts or other work to be fed. It is apparent that more than one mechanism 255 may be used upon the rod 22| when work of exceptional length is in hand.

The finger 2 l5 addresses the bolt from slightly above the dotted line position of Fig. 10, and while the slide 2M is retracted. After engagement, the rod 226 (controlled by cam 320, Fig. 5) makes a slight reverse movement, clearing the bolt from the notches 291, 208 while the slide 2!" and the attachment K are both advancing, then, after the bolt is cleared, the rod 22I is swung upward by rotation of a horizontal shaft 230, bearing in the boss 230A (Fig. 4) to the outer end of which shaft there is fast an arm 23| wherein the upper end of the rod 22! is adjustably secured. The mechanism whereby the shaft 230 is oscillated will be described in connection with the other operating mechanism of the countersink attachment K, to which it is closely related. When the rod 22| swings to its upper solid line horizontal position, Fig. 10, the bolt is parallel thereto, and is then pushed forward by a rod 240 axially moved by a crank 24| yoked thereto. The crank 2M is pivoted to a boss 242 which is also fixed to the oscillating shaft 230. As shown in Fig. 4, a cam 245 keyed to shaft 86 and actuating a bellcrank lever 266 and a plunger mechanism 241 causes movement of the lever 24!, as explained in some detail hereafter, thus pushing the bolt B, still horizontal, at the appropriate time, to a forward position in which its front end is engaged by the jaw mechanism J. Gauge blocks 250 adjustable in a horizontal slide 25f on the side of the-attachment K limit the upward travel of the bolt B by engagement with the side of the bolt and the outer of these blocks limits its horizontal travel by engagement with the under surface of the bolt head, all as shown in Fig. 10. For different thicknesses of bolts different gauge blocks may be substituted. For different lengths of bolts, the rod 240 may be set appropriately by the nut 255.

In detail, Figs. 4 and 13, the plunger mechanism 241 includes a sleeve 241A axially movable within the hollow shaft 230, and thus moving the bellcrank 24l. A central plunger 241B, surrounded by compression spring 2410, builds up a pressure to overcome the resistance of spring 230B and cause snap action of the push rod 240 when the bellcrank lever 246 is moved out by the cam 245. The lever 2 and rod 240 rotate with the shaft 230.

The picker finger system is given its vertical swing by a cam 320 carried in a top housing 32l on the main housing K. This cam, seen in Figs.

5 and 9, is ridden by a roller 325 carried by one side of a partly toothed quadrant 330 keyed to a vertical shaft 321. An arm 33L keyed higher on the same shaft, is biased clockwise by the pull of a tension spring 349, the outer end of which is fast to an arm 34! rigidly secured to the top of housing K. The toothed segment of 330 engages a pinion 335 on the upper end of a vertical shaft 36 whose lower end carries a bevel gear 331 meshing with a bevel gear 338 on the inner end of the horizontal shaft 230. It will be remembered that this horizontal shaft 230, best seen in Fig. 4, carries all the elements of the picker and feed mechanism.

Obviously, rotation of the cam 320 results in oscillation of the picker mechanism P, and the rotation of cam 245 on the same shaft relates the action of the push rod 240 to the other elements of the feed cycle. The high side of the cam 320 positively retracts the picker mechanism and tensions the spring 340, while the low side releases the spring, resulting in the bolt feed by spring drive, with incidental safety which would not be had if the feed were positive. The cam 329 is appropriately notched at 32I' to cause the slight rearward movement of arm 23!, whereby the bolt B is lifted from the notches 201, 208. As previously pointed out, the axle motion of the rod 240 also includes transmission of power by loading the spring 247B; thus the entire feed system is spring protected and neither the jaws nor any other part of the mechanism can be injured by a feeding jam.

Although the countersinking operation completes the cycle which is begun by the feed mechanism just described, the arrangement of the machine makes it convenient to describe completely the entire countersinking apparatus at this point. The housing K, which is preferably a casting of light weight such as aluminum or even lighter materials, includes the integral arms 6'! and 68 and is rotatably carried upon the turret system at and 66, as has already been described.

Within the housing, besides the principal operating elements for the picker P, just described, there are also the drive and control elements for the countersinking drills S, and the devices for attaching K to the rotating turret and detaching it therefrom.

In order to cause movement of K from the solid line position to the dotted line position K of Fig. 2, which movement will hereafter be termed the operating swing, a lock pin 380 successively engages notches 3M of the ring 70 in the constantly-rotating turret system, all as shown in Fig. 2. The return swing is by the spring G, connected to K by the chain H, and tensioned by the operating swing.

The timing and drive of the lock pin 3% is by a cam 302 on shaft 85 working a bellcrank lever 303 yoked to a collar 3% at the rear end of the latch rod 395. Retraction of the latch compresses a return spring 3%. Nuts 30? accessible through a plugged hole 3138 permit adjustment of the latch for length.

The operating swing of the entire attachment K is given an initial impetus by a cam and lever mechanism, Fig. 2, so as to avoid a jerky start and too great a strain on the lock pin. The same mechanism also cushions the stop of the return swing. This mechanism comprises a bellcrank arm 3% intermediately pivoted to the base E, linked at its longer end at 36l to the housing of K, and carrying a roller 362 at its short end. This roller 362 rides on the cam H3, also seen in Fig. 1, appropriately shaped. The entire I countersink attachment K is thus started clockwise at a rapidly increasing rate of motion which, however, at its maximum is slightly less than the turret speed, in order that the notch 3lll may quickly catch up to the lock pin 3%, whereafter the rest of the operating swing is of course synchronous with the turret movement. Similarly, the return swing, under the tension of spring G,

IiS terminated without shock by the roller 362 on the cam H3.

The countersink drills S, as shown in Fig. 9, are fed axially by identical upper and lower arms 5%, centrally pivoted, and tilted by cams Mil fast to the shaft 235. The cams Mil may be a1- tered in axial position upon the shaft 86 by means of an adjusting mechanism shown in preferred form in Fig. '11, one end of which, 402, is visible in Fig. 9. This adjustment is for depth of countersink cut, and is accomplished in the present example by making the upper portion of the shaft 85 tubular (Fig. 11) and priming each of the cams 4M as at 455 through a paraxial slot such as 455 to a sliding block as 451, threaded to a central rod 558, suitably threaded right and left. The rod 498 is also threaded at its upper end through a plug M19 in the top of the tubular shaft 86.

Each drill is rotated from the shaft 81 by gear trains which are shown in Figs. 2 and 5, andpartly in Fig. 9. The lower gear train comprises a spur gear 505 rotating with the shaft 81 and directly driving a pinion 406 on the chuck of the lower drill S. This spur gear 455 drives the :upper countersink drill S by a train comprising idler sue (Fig. 2), pinion lll keyed to the lower end of vertical shaft M2, the upper end of which has keyed thereto a gear M3 (Fig. 5), in turn driving idlers SM, H5 and M6, the last of which engages with the pinion M1 on the chuck of the upper countersink drill S.

Jaw system The jaw mechanism for holding the bolts B during drilling is shown in detail in Fig. 4, and

is also partly visible in Figs. 1, 5, 9 and 10, being generally represented by reference character J.

The jaws in the machine illustrated are ten in number, all constantly rotating as part of the 'general turret system. Each jaw comprises a stationary element solidly fixed between the flanges i? and 42 (Fig. 9), and including a gripping face 502 which is notched horizontally as at 553 to take the side of a bolt and notched vertically as at 5335, above and below to allow passage of a drill D or S. The movable member of each jaw comprises a bellcrank lever 5lll carrying an adjustable gripping stud 5H at its outer end 'by which the end of a bolt B is held in the notch 553. The lever 5H3 is constantly urged in the closing direction by a compression spring 5H. housed in a socket 5l3 in the stationary ele ment The inner end of the arm 5M] carries a roller 5l5 which is out of contact with anything during the greater part of the turret revolution, but which rides over a nose 525 of stationary ring cam 75 to open the jaw to drop the completed work and toreceive a new work piece.

The jaw at the extreme left of Fig. 4 is shown open, with a new bolt 13 just being inserted therein. Before the picker finger 2|5 has let go of the bolt, the roller 5l5 will have ridden ofi the cam nose 520, and the movable arm 5H] will thus have gripped the bolt.

Drill system The drill system is shown in Figs. 1, 6, 7 and 8 and in the machine illustrated comprises ten identical drills circumferentially disposed at equal distances in the housing 50, 54. These drills D are kept in constant rotation by the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and '7, already described under the caption Drive system. Each drill consists of a spindle 6M having a chuck 602 at its lower end holding a bit 653. At the upper end a shaft 654- has a spline connection to the pulley 55. The drill D generally is supported from and aligned by ball bearings 5% and 601 on its upper end. The spindle bill is supported in a sleeve 5 l 5, the upper part of the sleeve being threaded as at GI l. By means of collars BIZ and M3 at the top and bottom respectively of the sleeve am, the axial movement of the sleeve is imparted to the spindle, rotation being constantly maintained by the spline arrangement 604. Thus, the bits 603 are moved up and down by the sleeve.

The sleeve 6H) has three distinct possible sorts of vertical movement, the first being an adjustment by the sleeve threaded portion 6H to govern the range of operation of the bit 603 according to thickness of the work and other factors; the second being by cam track 652 for feed and spotting, and the third being an extensive quick lift and drop to pass the bit over the arm 68 and return it to the work.

For all three movements each sleeve 6i i is supported in a carrying block 615 vertically slidable with a close fit on two guide posts BIG and 6H.

For adjustment, as shown by Fig. 14 and by one of the blocks which is sectioned in-Fig. 6, a Worm wheel 62!] is rotatably mounted but axially immovable in thecarrying block 6l5, this wheel being. internally threaded upon the threads 6. A worm 62I horizontally disposed in the guide block actuates the worm wheel, this shaft having a square head 622 to which a wrench can be applied through an opening 523 in the housing 50. A keyway 6| IA through the sleeve threads 6| l, and keys 6| IB, prevent the sleeve BIO from turning.

Each block 6 l 5 also carries an inwardly-directed horizontal roller 650 travelling in the cam track 652 whereby the second and third movements above-mentioned are imparted to the drills, as described under the neXt caption, "Cam and lift.

Cam and lift See Figs. 1, 6, 8 and 15.

The working motion of the drills D, that is, the second and third motions mentioned in the foregoing section, are imparted by a cam track 652 which encircles the central pillar 20 and which does not rotate. The rollers 650 travel in this track, only one being visible in Fig. 6 because the others are below the top track rail in that figure.

In detail, a heavy hollow core 610, outwardly flanged at the top, is keyed at 6' to the central pillar 20, fitting thereon from just above the bottom of the turret housing 50 to just below the sleeve 53. An adjustable cam shell 669, top flanged at 684, and rendered flexible by vertical slots from the bottom of flange 684 to the top of the upper cam track 65l at intervals as indicated at 612, encircles 288 of the core in the embodiment here illustrated. The upper and lower cam rails 65L 653 are secured to the shell 669, as seen in Figs. 8 and 15. These rails define the track 652 which has a general downward inclination throughout to extent except for certain changes of direction hereafter explained. It is by this inclination that the drills D are fed to the work.

Reference to Fig. 8 shows that this general inclination is with reference to the horizontal plane of the upper and lower edges of the shell 669. In order to vary the total amount of feed, provision is made to change the form of the shell 669 from cylindrical to spiral by a jack screw 680 (Fig. l) threaded through the core flange and rotatably headed into the shell flange 684 at 68f near the free end.

The shell 669 is anchored to the core by a bolt at 675, which immovably fixes the lower end of the track 652, with the result that adjustment of feed for thicker work is by increasing the lift of the drills. Each segment of 669 has two bolt holes, 616, each of which varies progressively from the next in length and inclination appropriately for the allowable movement. A gage 611 near the jack screw head measures the track setting.

Just beyond the anchored end of the cam track there is a lift slide 100, occupying 27 of the circumference in the particular machine illustrated, guided vertically in the core 610 and conforming to the outer surface of the core, all as best seen in Figs. 6 and 8. A stud 'Hll passing through slots in the column 20 and core 610 provides for raising and lowering of the slide 100 by the rod I26 which is actuated by the cam IZI. Rails horizontally secured to the bottom of the lift slide define the track 652A thereon.

At its bottom position this track registers as shown with the low end of track 652. While slide 100 lifts the roller 650 is continuing its clockwise travel, the timing being such as to define approximately the broken line path II, Fig. 8, so that at the top of the lift the roller moves onto the stationary horizontal track {section 652B. The rails defining this section are secured to an immovable segment H which is 45 long and riveted to the core 610.

Beyond 652B the track, now on the free or movable end of shell 669, slopes sharply downward as designated by 652C. At the upper end of section 6520 the rails 65] and 653 are relieved as shown to allow passage of rollers 650 at all settings of the track. At the bottom of 652C 2. section 652D follows a short irregular path comprising successively a run gently downward at the general feeding inclination, a quick rise, a momentary flat, and a sharp drop. Thereafter the general feed inclination of 652 begins.

The purpose of the lift slide 100 is to remove the drill from'the finished work, BIO of Fig. 4, to a height to clear the arm 68. The track section 652B holds the drill up crossing the arm, the section 652C lowers it for spotting, while the section 652D governs spotting, temporary clearing, and return to work.

Spotting rotating turret system; It will also be seen, Fig.

5, that the spotting bushing 800 is well in advance of arm 68. Thus during the feeding of the new bolt to the jaws J the bit 603 can move down into the bushing, guided by track section 6520. From the station at 40 /2 to 54 the bit, guided near its point by the bushing drills into the work sufiiciently to start the hole. It then quickly lifts to clear the bushing ear 80! for the return swing of attachment K, and immediately drops back into the hole in the bolt.

Operation The operation has been described generally after the brief description of figures of the drawings, and in detail concurrently with descriptions of the mechanism.

It will be understood that all exact positions, proportions, details and the like shown herein are those of a specific illustrative embodiment of the invention, and are not to be construed as limitations upon the invention or upon the range of equivalents in the interpretation of claims.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic machine comprising in combination, a turret system, a plurality of work stations included therein, means for maintaining said turret system in rotation constantly as to direction and speed, an attachment adapted to join for a limited arc in the movement of one sta tion of said turret system and to return to its starting point for similar participation in the movement of the next successive station, said turret system comprising means for performing the principal operation upon the work, and for discharging the completed work, said attachment comprising means for feeding work to the turret system including positioning it therein.

2. An automatic drilling machine comprising, in combination, a standard, a turret rotatable thereon, said turret comprising a plurality of work stations, gripping jaws at each station and a main drill thereabove; an attachment adapted to oscillate upon said standard coaxially with said turret, said attachment overlapping the plane of the jaws, feeding means carried by said attachment and adapted to supply work to said jaws, countersinking drills carried by said attachment; means for axially positioning the main drills, said means including a cam track upon the standard, vertical lifting means for a portion of said cam track adapted to raise the drills to clear said attachment, said cam track including means to return the drills to work-engaging level quickly and to progress the drills through the work; means carried by said column and operatively coordinated to the cam track for opening and closing said jaws to discharge completed work and receive new work.

3. An automatic drilling machine comprising in combination a rotatable turret system with work stations therein, each of said work stations including a drill, means for moving each of said drills paraxially with respect to the turret axis, an attachment mounted concentrically with the turret and oscillable alternately with and against the turret movement, said attachment including an arm which lies in the working Zone of the drills, means for removing said drills from the path of said arm, work-holding jaws immediately below said drills and constituting part of the turret system, a spotting guide carried by said attachment arm immediately above the path of said work-holding jaws, and means for moving said drills successively to apply each drill bit to the work through said spotting guide and to feed said bit a short distance into new work under said guide, and therafter to momentarily raise said bit to clear said spotting guide for the return swing of said attachment and next to return the bit to the work in the spotted hole.

4. An automatic drilling machine comprising in combination a rotatable turret system with work stations therein, each of said work stations including a drill, means for moving each of said drills paraxially with respect to the turret axis, an attachment mounted concentrically with the turret and oscillable alternately with and against the turret movement, said attachment including an arm which lies in the working zone of the drills, means for removing said drills from the path of said arm, work-holding jaws immediately below said drills and constituting part of the turret system, a spotting guide carried by said attachment arm immediately above the path of said work-holding jaws, and means for moving said drills, said drill-moving means including a cam track for quickly lowering the bit through the spotting guide and into the work after clearance of the auxiliary attachment arm, followed by momentary lift for clearing the drill from the spotting attachment, followed by return to the main working position and feeding track.

5. In an automatic machine for operating upon work pieces, said machine comprising a turret adapted for constant rotation and an auxiliary attachment adapted for oscillation alternately with and against turret movement, the combination of mechanism for locking said attachment to said turret for the wit motion only, said locking attachment comprising a bolt adapted to look into successive positions on said turret, said positions being coordinated with the work stations, spring means for holding said bolt in locking engagement and positive means for releasing said bolt, the with swing of said attachment being actuated by the turret drive, supplemented by a cam, and the return swing of said attachment being actuated by spring and braked by the same cam.

6. In an automatic machine, in combination, a turret comprising a plurality of constantly spaced work stations, means for imparting constant orbital travel to said turret, each work station including a work holding means and a working tool, and work-feeding means, said workfeeding means comprising a plurality of worktransfer elements at successive distances from the turret, means for moving all of said transfer elements in the general direction of turret travel during a feeding cycle, but for different distances, the travel of the inner elements continuing through a limited are after that of the outer is ended and during such continuance being equal in angular speed tothat of the turret, and means for transferring work from the inner transfer element to the work holding means at a station during the period of equal angular speed.

'7. Feeding mechanism adapted to move work pieces from an external supply source to a constantly moving working apparatus, which apparatus includes a plurality of stations, means connecting said feeding mechanism to said work apparatus to be carried therewith adjacent to each station successively for temporary participation in the movement thereof, means operable during such participation to engage a work piece at said external supply source and transfer the same first to approximate working position and then to accurate working position and finally to release said work piece, followed by disengagement of said locking means.

8. An automatic drilling machine comprising in combination a constantly rotating turret, drilling mechanism carried thereby, clamps carried. thereby adjacent said drilling mechanism, and a work-feeding mechanism, said work-feeding mechanism comprising a picker movable from a supply of elongated work-pieces externally placed with respect to the turret to a horizontal position radial to the turret and adjacent said clamps, means moving said picker, and means associated with said picker for further moving each workpieces radially into said clamp, and means moving said picker and its associated means with the turret.

9. In a machine of the class described, a feeding attachment comprising in combination, a horizontal shaft, an arm fixed thereon, a rod in the plane of said arm and at a right angle thereto, and a picker finger on the end of said rod opposite said arm, also ata right angle and directed on the same side of the rod as the arm, a push bar intersecting the axis of said shaft parallel to said rod, and means for axially reciprocating said push bar at the end of the upswing of said rod against a workpiece held in said picker finger.

10. In a machine having a constantly-rotating turret during the rotation of which an operation is performed upon a work piece, work piece clamps carried by said turret, work feeding means comprising a chute presenting work pieces singly, a slide movable in a direction tangent to the turret rotation and including a work piece holder alternately registrable with said chute and with said slide, a picker mechanism oscillable between the work piece holder of said slide and a positionin alignment with the turret clamps, locking means between said work feeding means and said turret operable after the work piece has been picked from the slide, and releasable after the work piece has been clamp-ed in the turret jaws.

11. In a mechanism of the class described, a constantly rotating turret, an attachment concentrically oscillable therewith, a lock between said attachment and said turret, a spring for locking said lock and positive actuating means for unlocking said lock, 9. feed mechanism carried by said attachment, positive retracting means for said feed mechanism and spring drive means for the feeding stroke, said spring drive means comprising a spring loaded by the retracting stroke of said feed mechanism.

12. An automatic drilling machine comprising, in combination, a constantly rotating turret, drilling mechanism carried thereby, work-holding means operativ-ely adjacent said drilling mechanism, a work-feeding mechanism in combination therewith, means in said work-feeding mechanism constraining it to travel in fixed position with the turret through an arc of the travel of the latter, and means in said work-feeding mechanism cooperable with said work-holding means to complete the transfer of Work to said holding means during the maintenance of the fixed position.

13. In a turret machine comprising a plurality of work stations each having a work-piece clamp and a principal working tool, and an attachment connection at each station, an attachment comprising in combination a bracket pivoted concentrically with the turret, a lock engageable with said connection, work-finishing tools, means for applying and removing said tools to and from the work, and lock fastening and releasing means, and synchronized actuating elements for said fastening and releasing means and for said applying and removing means, to apply the tools after looking and to remove the tools after unlocking, and a feed mechanism movable with said attachment comprising a rod, a work piece carrier on said rod and a drive swinging said rod back and forth through an arc in a plane transverse to the movement of the attachment, said work-piece clamps being successively adjacent said carrier at the inner end of said arc, a workpiece source adjacent said carrier at the outer end of said arc, and synchronous connections between said feed mechanism and said lock fastening and releasing means, whereby said bar swings from outer to inner end of said arc while said lock is fastened.

14. In an automatic machine, in combination, a turret, rotating mechanism therefor, and a plurality of drills carried thereby, a drive for said drills, an attachment oscillable alternately with and against said turret, and including a mechanism for locking and unlocking said attachment to and from the turret, and a work feed mechanism, and work finishing tools, and mechanism for moving said finishing tools into and out of engagement with work, a second and independent drive means, a constant speed connection from said second drive to said work finishing mechanism, a variable speed connection from said second drive to said turret rotating mechanism, and to said locking and unlocking mechanism, and to said feed mechanism and to said finishing mechanism, whereby said mechanisms other than the drills and the finishing mechanism may be maintained at constant speed relationship among themselves but varied as a Whole with respect to the drills and finishing tools.

15. In an automatic machine for operating upon work pieces, said machine comprising a turret adapted for constant rotation and an auxiliary attachment adapted for oscillation alternately with and against turret movement, the combination of a supply source for work-pieces outside said turret and work-holding jaws included in said turret, a feeding mechanism carried by said auxiliary attachment, said feeding mechanism comprising an arm adapted to swing out to said supply source and in to said workholding jaw, a positive drive for said arm for the outward swing, and spring means, loaded during the outward swing, for energizing the r turn swing.

16. Work-feeding apparatus for a machine of constantly travelling stations, said feeding apparatus comprising, in combination, a chute adapted to present work pieces sequentially and in predetermined position, a picker finger adapted to be carried horizontally and to swing vertically, means for carrying said finger in travel with a travelling station, a slide substantially tangential to the arcuate path imparted to said picker finger by said travelling station, means for reciprocating said slide, means for swinging said picker finger in an arc transverse to station movement from a supply position adjacent said slide to a delivery position adjacent a work station, means synchronous with said swinging means for moving said first-named means and said picker finger with part of the travel of a station, a work piece holder upon said slide and registering at one end of slide travel with said chute and registering at the other end of slide travel with the supply position of the picker finger.

17. In a turret machine comprising a plurality of Work stations each having a work-piece clamp and a principal working tool, and an attachment connection at each station, an attachment comprising in combination a bracket pivoted concentrically with the turret, a lock engagable with said connection, work-finishing tools carried by said bracket, means for applying and removing said tools to and from the work, and lock fastening and releasing means, a yieldable drive connection to said fastening means and a positive drive connection to said releasing means, said positive and yieldable drives being synchronized with the said means for applying and removing said tools, to apply the tools after locking and to remove the tools before unlocking.

LEON T. WHITE.

CERTIFiCATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,165,77L July 11, 1959.

' LEON T. WHITE. It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of'the above numbered. patent requiring correction as follows: Page 7, sec- 1 0nd column line15, claim8, for the word "each" read such; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to thevrecord of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of August, A. D; 1959.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents, 

